Now or NEVER

I have just been informed that Now or Never has been canceled this year. This is sad sad news for Holts fans everywhere.

::: Nathalie

Gossip Girl set

Love Blake's romper but it hardly makes sense to pair it with those heels and her short man. I can't wait for the show to come back!

::: Nathalie

Brass Snake

My shopping days are officially over, as it's time I started saving for life, vacations and new floors. But, if I was still spending as frivolously as I had up to a month ago, this Elizabeth and James brass snake lapel pin would be at the top of my list. Timeless, classic and perfect for every season, I can't think of a better way to dress up a simple tshirt, blazer or scarf.

::: Nathalie

"It's a triumph of the will"

I worked with another writer who used to be a movie reviewer. He said that the job wasn't nearly as exciting as it sounds, and that he'd often have to write a ton of inane stuff to meet his word count.

After viewing Valentino: The Last Emperor with Nathalie, she suggested that I write a review about it. By no means do I think I'm qualified to do this. I took a few history of film classes in university, but that was the year I had a nervous breakdown and found myself crying on the subway more often than actually attending classes. Anyway, here it goes.

I kind of liked it. If you know nothing about this feature, it's a behind-the-scenes documentary by Matt Tyranauer that pretty much attempts to capture the idol worship surrounding this designer. Lots of pretty clothes. Plenty of beautiful people. Hilarious shots of Valentino and his entourage of pugs. Glimpes into Valentino's personal and financial relationships. And there's Vogue editor Andre Leon Talley, who exclaims that Valentino's 45-anniversary collection is a "triumph of the will", which made me think of Leni Riefenstahl and kind of creeped me out...

I know I've given a really short and inadequate summary instead of a review, but I really don't know what else to say. I'm not a huge fan of Valentino, but I can appreciate the craftsmanship of his collections. Guess it's worth watching if you're:

a) into documentaries
b) have a love for fashion
c) are into documentaries and love fashion
d) kind of bored on a Wednesday night and find out that your best friend would chew off her right arm if she didn't have someone to see it with.

Guess I should stick to my day job of writing product descriptions...

-Diana

Don't You Want My Money?

I've voiced my opinions about this in earlier posts, but now it's really beginning to annoy me.

For those of you who are not familiar with Gilt Groupe, it's an exclusive, by invitation only, on-line shop for luxury brands. They carry women's wear, men's wear, accessories, handbags, footwear, housewears and children's clothing on weekends. Sounds good? Well it is. The sales are spectacular and let me tell you, it is kind of exciting buying clothes on a first come first serve basis (their sales start at noon each day).

The Problem: they haven't been accepting international credit cards since the beginning of this year. I used to shop on Gilt with my Canadian credit card and have my orders sent to my uncle's place in Miami. Those days are now long gone.

I was contacted by a representative from Gilt back in April to explain their security policy and why they can't accept international cards until they get their legal process straightened out. Blah, blah, blah.

Since then, I have called Gilt customer service numerous times to ask when they will once again allow us non-American's to shop on their site. I always get the same response: "We're working on it. Canadians are at the top of our priority list. We're hoping to have it fixed soon." Blah, blah, blah.

For a shopping addict / bargain hunter such as myself, this isn't very consoling. Especially when I see the brands on the site getting better and better with every passing day. Vena Cava, Tibi, Rag & Bone, L.A.M.B., Psycho Bunny, Helmut Lang for men. It hurts to look at!

So all I have to say is, hurry up Gilt Groupe and stop being so prejudice towards your non-U.S. shoppers. My hard earned cash is just waiting to be spent on your site. Don't let another 5 months go by shunning your neighbors up north.

::: Nathalie

For those U.S. people, click here for a personal invitation link to Gilt. Happy shopping. *tear.

Recycle? I think not!

My magazine library consists of all sorts of magazines from the past 12 years - Vogue, Jane, Wish, House & Home, Bazaar, Anthem, Bust, Flaunt, W, Jalouse, Flare, Fashion, Juxtapose, Giant Robot. You name it, I probably have it.

I was purging and organizing my "library" this past weekend and found something interesting in an old issue of Lucky. There is a Vena Cava top that looks rather familiar to the recent Gap collection. I dunno, maybe you long time Vena Cava fans out there knew, but this is news to me! When did overtly recycling past collections become okay?

::: Nathalie

Anthropologie

Anthropologie, Don Mills. (Ick, what happened to my camera setting?)

I made the hike to Don Mills this past weekend, along with my friend Amy and my mum, to check out Anthropologie. I've been to this store in the States and didn't care too much for it, mainly because it's over priced, but it was so much more exciting when it's in our own backyard.

The store is generous in size with a great selection of uber feminine clothes, housewares and books. I was surprised to see names there like Tibi, Foley + Corinna and Sunner. I wanted to buy everything I took with me to the fitting room but then opted for balck batwing shirt that was on sale for $40. Better than nothing...

::: Nathalie

PS - Anyone notice Shopbop got a makeover last week. It's so much better now!

XXI

For all of you Oakville, Burlington and Hamilton residents, you won't have to travel to Toronto to get your Forever 21 fix. The fourth store in Ontario just opened this weekend at Mapleview Mall. I wasn't there but I heard from a coworker that it was PACKED. Girls where lined up outside of the store well before 9 am (probably to get their free gift cards). Apparently my coworker was there 4 hours, waiting to get in, looking around and then lining up at the till. Madness!

::: Nathalie

I spent $200 on a boyfriend blazer.

I've received three reactions:

1. Praise for buying an 'investment' piece that fits well and is sure to transition into later seasons.

2. Disgust and general bewilderment as to why I'd choose to spend that much on an item.

3. General ambivalence - such as my boyfriend who said "whatever, I've spent more money on a video card for my computer".

I'm still not sure how I feel about it. To date, I've definitely spent more than $200 on a bag, but never on a clothing item. But that may have something to do with the fact that I'm not happy at my current weight. I'm always saying that I don't want to buy an expensive piece if there's a chance that I'll get smaller. So I opt for 'disposible' pieces and my wardrobe tends to change every season. I'm 27 now, eating better, trying to exercise more and attempting not to completely dispise the shape of my body. That's why I bought the $200 blazer. It was a way of admitting that this is my body, I'm gonna buy the right size and I've just gotta get over these stupid body issues. Anyway, we know a good tailor so if I ever do drop the weight, I can always see her.

-Diana

Meet The Sartorialist

Scott Schuman Personal Appearance
Holt Renfrew Toronto - Bloor Street
50 Bloor Street West, Menswear Entrance ON 1

Wednesday July 22, 2009
12:30-2PM

Meet The Sartorialist Scott Schuman, a leading authority on style for both men and women. His photos have become iconic representations of modern fashion and how it is interpreted.

Schuman launched his blog: The Sartorialist, in 2005 as a way to connect the way clothes are sold to the way they are worn. “I’ve always felt that there was a disconnect between what I was selling in the showroom and what I was seeing real people wearing in real life,” he says.

View a selection of his photographs in our Toronto - Bloor Street store between Wednesday, July 22 - Wednesday, July 29, 2009.

+ + + +

Diana told me this was coming up but we were too lazy to look for the source. So here it is, straight from my inbox.

::: Nathalie and Diana

What the... seriously?

DISTASTE

At this point I'm convinced that American Apparel is playing a nasty joke on all of their customers to see how far they could push the branding envelope. People go gaga for AA shit and I just don't get why. It's overpriced, over sexed cotton goods that you could get pretty much anywhere else.

I say they bring prices down, hire some less annoying people at their stores, hire models that are over 24 years old and get rid of those terrible porn like ad campaigns.

What is the secret to their success? I just don't get it.

::: Nathalie

(Yes I own a cheapie gray AA sweatshirt and a couple of old tshirts, but believe me, I bitch every time Diana drags me there. Just ask her.)

CNTM Winner

Congrats to Canada's Next Top Model winner, Meaghan Waller from Winnipeg. I think she's adorable in a very non-annoying way so I was rooting for her. (Plus, she really learned how to style herself towards the later episodes.)

Ghetto Stylz

Found this on Facebook - it's pretty funny.

Bag was created by "London party babe Georgina Bacchus"

Cool and Confident

The Sartorialist

If I were a man, this is what I'd dress like.

Window Display: Jak & Jil

Diana and I stumbled upon this really cute window display at Holt Renfrew last week at Yorkdale Mall. The mannequin on the right hand side is supposed to be Tommy Ton capturing his latest subjects. How cool is that?

As much as I love Holts, sometimes I feel they're a little behind on designers and trends. It's nice to see them catching up.

WWD Quote:

BLOGGER WINDOWS: Holt Renfrew is the latest fashion player to catch social media fever. The Canadian department store chain is preparing a series of blogger-inspired window displays for nine stores, including the Toronto and Vancouver flagships. Due to be unveiled Friday, the windows will salute high-profile names in the fashion blogosphere, notably The Sartorialist’s Scott Schuman, Bryanboy, Tommy Ton (Jak & Jil) and 17-year-old Texan Jane Aldridge (Sea of Shoes). Engineered by Holt Renfrew’s creative director John Gerhardt — and apparently with no direct input from the bloggers themselves — the windows will include captures from the blogs and possibly mannequins dressed as the bloggers. The windows won’t be the first retail hookups for Schuman and Ton. In 2006, Schuman inspired a similar visual merchandising project at Saks Fifth Avenue and he has shot advertising campaigns for DKNY Jeans and Australia’s SABA chain, while Ton recently shot a campaign for Hong Kong’s Lane Crawford. And retail isn’t the only industry courting fashion bloggers. Last Thursday, in a temporary art gallery in Munich, Absolut Vodka unveiled “Visions in an Absolut World,” an exhibition of 121 artworks created by 11 bloggers — including Bryanboy, The Cobrasnake, Facehunter and Les Mads.

::: Nathalie

The September Issue

Not to over shadow Diana's previous news, but I thought this was exciting and worth sharing! (Sorry if you've already seen it. I've been in Florida for 2 weeks with very limited internet access...)

::: Nathalie

When 2 become 1

Nathalie and I aren't rich folk (sadly), so we're unable to purchase new Marc by Marc Jacobs bags whenever we feel like it (boo hoo!)

Turns out there's a solution. We've decided to make certain big ticket purchases together - like this Moto Pronto Zag Hobo that's exclusive to Barney's.

I know what you're thinking - 'aren't you two gonna fight over who gets to wear it?'. The answer is no because we're BFF and between the both of us, we have enough bags to keep us happy. I think. We'll see how this pans out.

I never thought I'd have a baby with my best friend, but it happened! Our baby's arrival date is some time in the next week. Hooray!

Take that recession, we found a way around you!

-D

Not Quite White

I've been searching for the ideal white dress all summer long. Something that can be dressed up or down with a pair of heels or flat sandals, and something that can translate into the colder seasons by accessorizing with opaque tights and a boyfriend blazer. I have looked everywhere with no such luck. 

Today I was perusing through the Free People website to check out their selection of white dresses, where nothing struck my fancy. Instead I came across this gorgeous striped open blazer and the most adorable dress I've seen in a while. The Patrra Criss Cross Dress comes in 3 colors, two which I'm torn between - the offwhite, or purpleish grey. Which would translate into more seasons of Canada's vast climates? Could I wear it to work? Hmm...

Anyone know of any Free People coupon codes? 

::: Nathalie